How to Drive More Revenue During and After Your Virtual Event

By now, many of us have hosted a virtual event. You may have been doing webinars all along and live streaming from your onsite conference, or you may have found yourself in a bit of a panic this spring trying to get everything online.

While many people are seeing a successful transfer of onsite to online registration, and in some cases beating their registration numbers by more than they could have imagined, there are other ways to drive revenue during and after your virtual event than just pure registrations.

Sponsorship

Session Sponsorship

Include recognition during individual sessions. This can include: 

  • Sponsor logo on the registration page 
  • A sponsor slide at the beginning of the presentation 
  • Moderator/presenter announcing the sponsor with a brief overview of who they are 
  • URL for sponsor website and/or contact information listed in any of these places 
  • Depending on the virtual event platform being used, display a sponsor banner throughout the session 

Sponsor Thank You Page

Whether you are selling sponsorship separately for individual sessions or bundling exposure for sponsorship or exhibitor tiers, you can create a thank you page for all of your sponsors that you’re already used to seeing on websites for face-to-face events. You can decide to display these logos alphabetically, or if selling tiers, by tier. 

Virtual Expo Center

There are many different versions of these out there. If the expo hall is extremely important to you, you may want to look into a virtual expo company that specializes in creating interactive environments with avatars. If you aren’t looking for that experience (or perhaps it’s not in your budget), it’s still great to have a place for your exhibitors to live. You can create an area where exhibitors can have product demos or marketing videos featured, white papers and flyers, contact info, and the ability to schedule meetings. 

Sponsor Beyond the Live Meeting

You may be so focused on the live event that you haven’t thought about what happens after the event. Hopefully, all of your great sessions are being recorded and posted online for on-demand viewing! This could be an added benefit for those that paid to attend the live event, an opportunity to generate more revenue by selling access to those who did not attend the live event, and a way for sponsors to live on after the blip in time that is a live event. You may decide that this is just a value add – if you sponsor the live session you automatically are listed as the sponsor of the on-demand. Or, perhaps you create another tier that allows for their sponsorship to live in after the live event or sell a completely new sponsorship package for the recorded content. 

Provide Lists

With any of these options, you’ll want to decide if your sponsors receive a list of event registrants – either for the entire event, the specific session they may have sponsored, or a list of those who actually consumed content from their virtual expo page. 

Event App

Outside of the platform you are using for registration and the virtual event, you may still want to consider an event app. If you already invested in the app, or have had one for past years, there is no reason to not use it. Apps can still be great for managing networking and other communications that your registration site may not be. This can allow your sponsors another place to touch base with interested parties without being so dependent on say, sponsoring a specific session. 

Emails & Blog Posts

Lastly, you may want to include some pre- or post-event email blasts that you’ll send out on the sponsors’ behalf or allow them the ability to write guest blog posts for your website. Again, these types of opportunities allow them additional benefits outside of the traditional event sponsorship which may become increasingly important while events remain virtual. 

Sponsor Presentation

These days, all of the above options might excite some of your sponsors but what many are looking for is actually being able to provide thought leadership. If you are able to provide session availability for your sponsors to present, there is a good chance you’ll attract more sponsors for higher dollar amounts while also easily securing presenters.

Repurpose Your Content After the Event

Share the on-demand version of your event

Share the on-demand version of your virtual event. This might be an obvious one, but not everyone does this! Make sure you have a post-event marketing plan as well to continue generating interest. If it’s something you’re selling, you could also consider getting creative with pricing – selling single sessions, or the entire event at a discounted cost, or bundling it with other items outside of the event. 

Replay the event

Yes, you have it available on-demand, but people do still like that live experience. Just because you have a popular topic being presented, or a rock star subject matter expert, does not mean everyone who wants to attend the live event is able. By replaying the recordings as a live event, you’ll be able to have the subject matter expert there for Q&A as well as all of the other interactivity that can take place during a live event. If you held a large event, you maybe just want to replay the keynotes or the Top 5 or 10 most popular sessions. 

Create microlearning

While this may not be possible or make sense in all scenarios, if you’re able to chop up session recordings into multiple, smaller micro-presentations, which could potentially attract a larger audience who has a shorter attention span, who just has less time to spare, or someone who only wants education on a particular slice of the content. If you’re selling these, you can also get creative with how you sell them – separately for one price, bundled for a discount, and so on.  

Write a blog post (or many!)

While you listen to the recordings (or read a transcription) you’ll want to pick out topics that you think would be interesting for you to expand on for your audience. Try to make sure that your blog post(s) aren’t just repeating what your recording already says. You could also ask your speakers if they’d be willing to write these articles in addition to presenting the sessions. They may be willing to for the additional exposure. 

Turn your recordings into podcasts

Yes, video is popular, but not everyone has the time to sit down and watch an entire session (especially ). But, that doesn’t mean that everyone doesn’t want to. Another option is to deliver your virtual event content as a podcast that your audience can listen to on the go. In addition to repurposing your recorded webinar content for podcasts, you can take issues and questions that came up during your webinar and create spin-off podcasts on those specific items. 

With any of these ideas (as well as others) you can get creative with pricing — offering free or discounted on-demand access for virtual conference attendees, providing different registrations tiers that can include on-demand access, selling sponsorships, and more. 


Jocelyn Taylor is the Senior Director of Sales Operations at Blue Sky eLearn. She has 14 years of experience in sales, marketing, and account management, spending the last 10 of those at Blue Sky.

Preparing Presenters for Your Virtual Association Conference

Educational opportunities are one of the key reasons people attend association-based conferences. Apart from meeting like-minded people and industry peers, attendees want to learn about topics like the latest research, industry trends, and new ways of conducting business. 

This is why conference organizers assemble the best speakers in the industry to offer presentations that pique the curiosity of attendees and create immersive learning experiences. Most speakers are familiar with the territory of in-person conferences. They know how to engage the audience when presenting from the podium. 

However, when an event goes virtual, those speakers are likely presenting to audiences who are several miles away, by means of a virtual platform. This format requires additional preparation to ensure top-notch presentations.

Therefore, when planning a virtual conference, you should have a standard guide to prepare presenters to offer standout presentations during your virtual conference. We recommend that you discuss the following areas with your presenters:

Ready to learn more about getting your presenters prepared for outstanding sessions? Let’s get started.

 

Content Preparation and Delivery Formats

Agreeing on content delivery format is a great place to start when preparing your presenters. For a virtual conference, you might consider the following formats: 

Talking Head(s) Lecture

During this type of presentation, the presenter is captured on video in seating or standing position while speaking. The speakers can view their prepared notes during the session, hidden from the eyes of the audience.  Viewers follow along by watching and listening.

On-Screen Presentation

During an onscreen presentation, the speaker presents as they navigate through prepared slides, but they do not show their face. The audience can hear the speaker and see the slides and screen, but can’t see the face behind the voice.

A Combination of the Two

A split-screen format shows both the speaker and the presentation to the audience. If you have multiple presenters you’ll have to decide if they’ll all be on screen together or if they will switch on and off camera.

Your event team can decide whether presenters can choose their preferred format, or you can advise based on what will resonate more with the audience for a particular presentation. Some attendees may prefer seeing the face of the presenter, even if there are slides. Be sure to agree on your approach ahead of time, and guide them on how to set up.

Master Deck PowerPoint or Solo Presentations?

Another aspect to decide on is whether you will use a master deck for presentations, or each presenter will have to design and control their own slides. 

For a more uniform approach, you can create a master deck and send it to presenters to base their slides from. This approach makes it easier to control basic branding in the presentations. You can also decide how your presenters will deliver their slides. Will you grant each presenter remote access on the virtual event platform, or have them screen share from home to control the flow of their own presentation, or have a production control team drive the presentation based on a pre-provided script and storyboard from the speaker.

Requirements for Presentation Equipment

If speakers are presenting from home, consider setting minimum requirements for the equipment they will use to ensure the best production quality. Some of these factors include system and/or mobile requirements, internet speed, audio quality, and video quality.

System & Mobile Requirements

Although most virtual event platforms and mobile event apps are compatible with a variety of devices, it is not out of place to obtain specific requirements from your platform or app provider and send them to your presenters. The main concern here is that the processing speed of the presenter’s devices can support the speed requirement of the platform or app.

Reliable and High-Speed Internet

Your presenters need reliable, high-speed internet for seamless streaming. A slow or unstable internet may cause cracks or breaks and will, ultimately, result in poor attendee experience. Therefore, you should recommend minimum internet speed requirements to your presenters. It’s also a good idea to advise your presenters to dedicate their internet for their presentation and disconnect other devices from the signal. That way, their signal strength can be fully utilized for the presentation.

Audio Quality

For quality audio streaming, presenters should not rely on the base microphones of their computers. Instead, recommend suitable microphones for presenters to purchase or borrow.  If you have the means, you can even mail your own standard microphones to them and guide them on how to set them up. 

Video Quality

Video quality is very important for audience engagement. Presenters should use cameras that are capable of producing full HD videos. If a presenter cannot guarantee that kind of video quality, you might send them a presentation kit containing the recommended portable microphone and camera, and guide them on how to install them to have an optimal presentation.

Presenters’ Environment Considerations

A few components are important to consider concerning the presenters’ environments. This includes the backdrop, lighting, and background noise of the environment they’ll be speaking from. All of these aspects play a significant role in video and audio quality, and you should advise presenters about them accordingly.

Lighting

The space where the presenter is speaking should provide sufficient lighting so that the video will not be blurry or dark. For optimal video quality, the presenter should face light rays, such as windows, instead of having them behind.

Backdrop

We recommend a plain backdrop or background. Alternatively, speakers may opt for a neutral or relevant background, such as a wall of bookcases. Presenters should give sufficient clearance between their location and the backdrop while presenting.

Quietness 

Presenters should be advised to select the best area in their home or office to serve as their speaking base. The location should be comfortable for them and free from noise, sounds, and outside distractions. They should also be advised to put their cellphones and other devices on silent mode. Any notification sound from those devices can be picked by a headset and cause distraction for attendees (and the speaker!).

Presenters’ Appearance Considerations

Presenters should wear solid colors and avoid high contrast tones such as white, black or red. Such colors can create illusions and negatively affect video quality. They should avoid clothes with stripes, busy patterns, writings, and icons.

In addition to clothing guidelines, presenters should be advised on the use of jewelry. They should not wear flashy, shiny, or dangling jewelry because these items can disrupt video or sound.

Walkthrough of Audience Engagement Features

You should guide presenters through audience engagement features on the platform you are using before the actual presentation. Your virtual event platform or mobile event app should have features for speakers to engage the audience during their presentation, such as:

  • Q&A
  • Polls
  • Contests
  • Gamification
  • Animations

Encourage presenters to prepare relevant questions, polls, and games ahead of the conference and insert them at the appropriate place in their presentation. Presenters should have their own view as well as some control via the platform or on the mobile app.

Demo Event With Presenters

After walking your presenters through all the steps, schedule a demo presentation with all your event speakers so that they can get familiar with the platform. Then, you can determine if anything needs correction or improvement. Consider the following checklist of what to inspect during the demo:

Content

Be sure that all content has been uploaded on the platform, including polls, Q&A, games, etc. and that the presenters can launch each feature independently when it is time. 

Gadgets

Ensure the presenter’s gadgets (internet, microphone, and camera) are up to par and that they are properly set.

Operation Base

Let the presenter set up in the room they intend to use for the presentation and ensure that each aspect (lighting, backdrop, and noise interference) is optimized.

Dressing

Ask presenters to dress similarly to their intended look on the day of their presentation to ensure that the outfit is good enough for the video quality.

Speaking

As speakers create their mock presentations, pay attention to their pitch and energy level. Advise them on how they can keep their energies high day-of, so that they can communicate effectively and keep the audience engaged.

Your event moderator should be part of the mock event, so they are familiar with each presentation. The moderator will be steering the event, so they should be able to help the audience make connections between different sessions. 

Every event planner knows that, even with all these preparations, things can go wrong. This is why it is recommended to have a communication channel with all the presenters. In the case of unforeseen circumstances, you will be able to make quick fixes together. You can create this channel on the virtual event platform or mobile event app, or you can have a separate channel on a popular instant messaging app in case someone cannot log into the platform at all. 


Jordan Schwartz is president and co-founder of Pathable, an event app and website platform for conferences and tradeshows. He left academic psychology for the lure of software building, and spent 10 years at Microsoft leading the development of consumer-facing software. Frustrated with the conferences he attended there, he left Microsoft in 2007 with the goal of delivering more value and better networking opportunities through a next-generation conference app. Jordan moonlights as a digital nomad, returning often to his hometown of Seattle to tend his bee hives.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Engage Participants in Your P2P Virtual Event

Physical peer-to-peer events — like runs, walks, and rides — have been a key fundraising tool for nonprofits for years. But now, virtual peer-to-peer fundraising events and campaigns have taken on a vitally important role in fundraising, too.

In normal times, online peer-to-peer events can be a less expensive way to raise funds year-round in between in-person events. Today, when physical events aren’t practical or restricted, they’re must-haves. They can help nonprofits engage with constituents and make them feel part of a community, even when they can’t connect in person. 

There are multiple approaches to peer-to-peer fundraising that go beyond physical events. Virtual peer-to-peer events generally fall into two categories: Virtual events/campaigns and do-it-yourself (DIY) virtual events/campaigns. With virtual campaigns, a nonprofit provides an online environment for supporters to set up their own fundraising pages in support of a virtual event or campaign created by the organization. DIY virtual events/campaigns allow participants to host their own virtual events or campaigns and invite friends and family to the events to raise funds for a specific campaign for your organization.

Whether you’re moving an in-person eve\nt to a virtual event, or launching a completely new virtual event, getting participants to sign up to fundraise for your organization (and providing them with basic details, sample emails, and suggestions about how to raise funds from their family and friends) is just the beginning. Your ability to reach your fundraising goals depends greatly on your ability to engage with your peer-to-peer virtual event participants and keep them motivated to raise funds. 

Here are six effective ways to get your peer-to-peer virtual event participants more involved and ultimately increase donations:

1. Host Facebook Live events.

Facebook is a great way to connect with peer-to-peer fundraising participants. Host regular Facebook Live events with your participants on a variety of topics to help them raise funds and keep them inspired to support your cause. Here are some example topics for Facebook Live events:

  • An overview of your nonprofit’s impact on your mission 
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising tips and strategies
  • Q&A with a top fundraiser from a previous peer-to-peer event or campaign

2. Issue social media challenges.

By its very nature, peer-to-peer fundraising is a social activity. Create social media challenges to get participants more excited about your virtual event and help them engage with their potential donors. For example, at the beginning of the week, post a challenge online via your website and social media. (For those participants who aren’t super users of social media, you might want to email the challenge as well.) Challenges can be related to your organization’s mission, such as “the participant who posts the most pet themed photos wins the challenge,” or generic, like “the participant with the most donor selfies wins.”  Then, promote the winner online in the following week as part of a “winner’s corner,” or through a special shout-out if your virtual event has a live element. 

3. Use theme days.

Participants who feel as if they’re part of a group and are having fun are more likely to feel engaged with your organization and with the peer-to-peer event they’ve signed up to support. One way to foster a sense of community among participants is to establish theme days. For example, designate a “crazy hat” day in which participants wear their most unusual hat and post selfies to your event’s community page, or have your participants wear their favorite sport team’s jersey.

4. Send out a call for videos.

Ask participants to create videos to help inspire other participants. For example, ask your top fundraisers to develop a short video about why they’re raising funds for your organization or what have been their most effective approaches for raising funds from friends and family. Provide them with a few guidelines (length of video, topics, file format), an example video, and details about how you’ll use the videos (to send as motivation for other participants) so they have context as they create their videos.

5. Provide incentives.

Those who sign up for your peer-to-peer virtual event or campaign already have shown interest in raising funds for your organization. But a little extra incentive can give them a nudge to keep up the fundraising momentum. For example, offer a t-shirt, an online gift card, or other gift for participants who reach specified fundraising milestones.

6. Educate your participants.

Getting your participants more knowledgeable about your nonprofit and your mission will help them be more effective at sharing your organization’s message with potential donors. For example, create a treasure map or scavenger hunt for your participants to explore your website so they can become more well-versed with your cause. Make it fun and informative by leading participants to different areas of your website or social media. Give them instructions on how to submit their answers via social media, online form, or email. Offer weekly prizes for those who have completed the activity correctly, or include a grand prize drawing. This is an ideal approach for participants who are new to your cause. 

Keeping your participants engaged and inspired to raise funds for your organization is key to peer-to-peer fundraising event or campaign success. There’s almost no end to the ways you can inspire participants. It just takes some planning, creativity, and a bit of extra work. But the results will be well worth it. 

Need more ideas or an extra set of hands for your virtual events or campaigns? Contact Cathexis Partners.


Laura L. Higgins, Strategic Consultant, Cathexis Partners

Laura specializes in fundraising and community-building events. She has worked with nonprofits for more than 15 years.

Read our guide to learn how you can make the pivot to virtual events!

Pivoting to Virtual Events: The Essential Guide

Come learn how Fonteva Events can help you plan virtual events with a quick tour!

As COVID-19 continues to change and affect our day-to-day lives, many organizations are scrambling to figure out their next moves. From transitioning to a fully work-from-home lifestyle to realigning the goals for the year, we all have to start getting used to this new “normal.”

Here at Fonteva, we put health and safety first. We strongly recommend that everyone checks the CDC for updated guidelines and your local news for best practices. However, it’s hard to ignore what this could mean for the future of your organization or business, especially if you often host events.

It’s time to start thinking about virtual alternatives. With new technological advances and accessible tools, there are some quick and easy ways you can pivot to virtual events. Though this may seem like unfamiliar territory, events have been transitioning to the digital landscape for quite some time.

We created this guide to help organizations like yours take the first official steps to a true digital experience so that you can continue to offer your attendees unforgettable and genuinely meaningful opportunities— even if it’s all online.

Here’s what we’ll be going over:

  1. What is a Virtual Event?
  2. Virtual Event Ideas
  3. Virtual Event Best Practices
  4. ZERO TO THREE: a Fonteva Success Story

Follow us along from the top, or skip to the section that most interests you using the links above. Ready to get started and learn everything you need to know about virtual events? Let’s begin.


Learn the basics of virtual events below!

What is a Virtual Event?

Virtual events seem like an innovation of the future, but you’ve likely experienced some aspect of it before. If you’ve ever attended an exercise class online or had meetings over video chat, you are already familiar with the basic virtual event tools. 

Put simply, a virtual event is an experience your organization creates for guests that can be done through digital tools rather than in-person. Event guests can register for a virtual event and attend it all from the comfort of their own homes.

Why should you host virtual events now?

Living during a global pandemic has caused organizations across the globe to rethink their event schedule for the year and research virtual offerings instead. Due to health guidelines, almost all in-person events are either canceled or postponed for the foreseeable future. 

However, virtual events aren’t just for times of crisis. With multiple social media platforms enabling free livestream capabilities and popular video conferencing tools facilitating face-to-face engagements at no cost, these virtual tools are now more accessible than ever.

Tech has enabled us to rethink what events are. Just last year, YouTube’s Coachella livestream garnered 82.9 million live views, the highest viewership for the festival’s streaming since 2011. It’s clear that society has been moving to this type of digital medium or a hybrid version for a while now.

Virtual event offerings and alternatives can bring you many benefits.

Virtual offerings in your event can:

  • Increase accessibility. People from all over the world can choose to attend the event, not limiting you to just those in your general location.
  • Reduce budget. If your event is purely virtual, your overall budget will likely be less than an in-person event. Without having to secure a venue or figure out the best catering options, you can help lift the strain on your finances.
  • Boost convenience. Many virtual events will record their offerings so that guests can experience it whenever they want from wherever they are.
  • Decrease carbon footprint. By having all engagements take place online, you don’t need to waste any paper or other resources that might go into a live event!
  • Add another revenue stream. Before COVID-19 prevented gatherings of people, some organizations offered a virtual alternative for their in-person events for those who couldn’t attend or afford the event. Coachella and its YouTube livestream is a good example of that. Consider offering the alternative at a lower price, adding another revenue source for your organization.

Right now, virtual events are our only option. However, even once we enter a post-pandemic era, incorporating virtual capabilities in your future events can still have the same effects. Start thinking about what hybrid events might look like for your organization, one with both in-person and virtual engagements.


Check out this list of top virtual event ideas for inspiration.

Virtual Event Ideas

As we enter this “new normal,” it’s time to think about what kind of virtual events you can host. This likely depends on the type of organization yours is and the types of events you’ve hosted in the past. Even if you think your events thrived due to face-to-face efforts, with the right tools and software solutions, you can make the quick pivot.

Consider these top options as a starting point and work towards what is right for you.

  • Webinars. Webinars are great for educational events with a speaker or panel. With a simple video conferencing tool or just a webcam, you can record a webinar on any topic that fits your organization’s mission. Either livestream the webinar to registrants or save the video to distribute once it’s all done!
  • Further education opportunities for accreditation. If your organization is an association, you likely have hosted official learning opportunities to help members advance in their fields. Instead of hosting live classes, consider offering virtual classes. With a webcam and video conferencing tool, teachers can reach students from wherever they are.
  • Online training courses. Many companies and nonprofits use training courses to ensure their staff members and volunteers are prepared. Consider hosting this entire process online through recorded video or another platform! This is also a great way to track each user’s progress.
  • Virtual tours. Oftentimes, people want to physically visit an attraction but can’t. Whether it’s due to a global pandemic or they’re just in a different country, many potential guests miss out on experiences they want to have. Consider filming a walkthrough of your attraction, whether it’s a local park or a new museum exhibit, and posting it online as a virtual tour.
  • Digital conferences. If you host large conferences involving multiple days and speakers, don’t worry. Digital and virtual conferences do exist and can be as engaging as the traditional event. Incorporating your event tools, a video conferencing tool, and other solutions, you can provide a place for guests to visit different virtual “booths”, ask questions of experts, and even interact with each other via an online forum.
  • Recorded interviews/performances/speakers. Whether you want to livestream this or simply post it on your website, it’s easy to tape interviews, performances, or speakers. A great idea is to use a video conferencing tool where the audience can engage back. This way, guests can ask questions or make comments just like an in-person event.

If you had to recently cancel one of your upcoming events, consider if any of these options can work as a substitute. It can be daunting making the switch, but your guests will likely appreciate the digital alternative. Not only do they get to still experience the event, but they can do it all from home.

Before you get started, a good tip is to invest in a capable event management system that will facilitate a smooth transition from a live event to a virtual one. Read on to the next section for more best practices!

 


What are some best practices for planning virtual events?

Planning a Virtual Event: Best Practices

As you begin planning your virtual event, you’ll realize that many of the steps and processes are similar to planning a regular in-person event. If anything, it might even be easier because you don’t have to rent a venue or figure out decorations and catering.

Just like a traditional event, you have to consider your marketing strategy, how you’re going to communicate with guests, and the types of tools you will depend on. However, there are also special considerations you have to keep in mind. Let’s review the following best practices:

With the right tools, your virtual event can be just as engaging as an in-person event.

  • Keep up active communication. Exactly like in-person events, it’s important that your guests are actively informed about your virtual event. Whether you need to announce a change or just want to send out a helpful reminder, actively communicating keeps your guests engaged and gets them excited for the big day! Take a look at your event software and make sure you have a top communications tool that can segment your recipients based on event-type and other metrics, as well as schedule out or trigger emails based on actions. For example, scheduling emails in advance is great to send out reminders on registration deadlines or just technical instructions for the event.
  • Create an online-focused marketing strategy. Since your virtual event is taking place online, ensure your marketing strategy also does. Especially during times like a global pandemic where everyone is encouraged to stay home, a strong online marketing strategy will be the main way people find out about your virtual event. Using your strongest channels—whether it’s social media, email, or your website—advertise your virtual event and get potential attendees excited! To ensure this goes off well, make sure your online presence is optimized. For example, take a look at your website and make sure it’s easy to navigate and shows all the important details about your organization.
  • Encourage engagement with attendees and between them. One of the downfalls of a virtual event is that it can lack face-to-face interactions. A good way to encourage engagement is to incorporate a video factor into your event. This way, guests do get some sort of face interaction! If you’re hosting a speaker, let guests ask questions once the speaker is done. Take it a step further by also letting your virtual attendees engage with each other on some sort of online discussion forum located on your website.
  • Offer multiple ways for your supporters to give. Encourage your guests to donate throughout your event. To make sure they have the right tools for doing so, ensure your online donation form is working, and put the link to the form in the event chat room. Another option is to create a fundraising web store that you can promote and link to throughout the event. Sell merchandise that is closely tied to your cause. For example, if your organization is focused on educating school children about the environment, you might sell flower bulbs supporters can grow at home. Whatever giving options you decide to offer, make sure to give consistent encouragement so that your guests take advantage of them.
  • Collect key virtual event data. The more your organization hosts events, the more data you accumulate. This includes attendee data, as well as the marketing strategy used and other event data. The more data your organization has, the better you understand how past events went and determine the best ways to improve future events. Because virtual events are likely hosted all online, you’ll collect even more data. For instance, you can figure out the panel that guests were most engaged with or create landing pages to track how registrants found out about your event. Use those insights to help you plan future virtual events!
  • Be prepared for technical difficulties. Since this is a virtual event, technical difficulties may arise. To combat this, make sure you test out and troubleshoot the event beforehand. Ask staff members to use the tools and mark any areas that seemed too slow or are not working properly. Additionally, send out an email to all guests explaining very clearly how the event will work, whether it involves a video portion or a live chat room. If there are any problems on the big day, assign some key staff members to work on helping those with technical issues. If things cannot be solved, brainstorm some alternatives beforehand. This can be a non-video option with just audio engagement.

These best practices seem simple, but your virtual event still needs ample planning. That’s why a global crisis like COVID-19 has put a wrench in so many organizations’ plans. Instead of taking the time to plan out their virtual event, many are finding themselves having to make a quick pivot. The best best practice for a virtual event is to invest in a dedicated and comprehensive event software solution, like Fonteva Events.

How can Fonteva help your virtual events?

Virtual Events Platform: How Fonteva Can Help

Fonteva Events is a Salesforce native comprehensive event management platform that has helped organizations across the board plan and host events. As an all-in-one software solution, Fonteva gives you all the tools you need to plan any type of event. Within the Salesforce CRM dashboard, you can view the entire event lifecycle.

Easily plan virtual events with Fonteva's comprehensive tools.

Here are just some of the benefits Fonteva Events can bring your organization:

  • Host multi-session/day events with ease.
  • Easily schedule speakers and venues for larger conferences.
  • Centralize all data within the Salesforce CRM platform.
  • Promote your event online with branded event microsites.
  • Ensure quick and seamless online registration.
  • Provide an integrated payment process.
  • Take advantage of communication tools to segment guests and send more targeted information.

Fonteva is especially great if you have to suddenly cancel one of your regular events and transition to a digital one. Instead of canceling the entire event, refunding money, and losing out on that revenue and customer engagement, Fonteva lets you quickly pivot to a virtual event with the following additional features:

  • With a tech accelerator, Fonteva event planners can quickly connect a third-party video conferencing system, like Zoom, GoToWebinar, or On24, to a virtual event. With just a simple button, push all important registrants’ and event details to the webinar platform. This way, you don’t have to manually transfer data into the new tool and it instead seamlessly integrates with your event data.
  • Track attendance time for each guest. If you’re hosting a conference with many different panels, it’s helpful to track how long each guest attended each panel. This way, you get a sense of which were most successful and those that didn’t garner as much engagement. This is also valuable for schools that had to recently make the switch to remote learning.
  • Easily plan new events or sync your virtual event tools with an existing event. Whether you’re creating a new virtual event or coming up with a virtual alternative for an event that’s been canceled or postponed, Fonteva can help. When we live in unpredictable times, having the option to quickly pivot to a virtual event is key to maximizing success. You never know what may come up! For instance, if you have to cancel an in-person event that has already garnered a bunch of registrations, you can still easily transfer that data to your online webinar platform.

The Fonteva Events platform is unique because it is native to the Salesforce CRM. This ensures that all of your event data is centralized in one dependable place. From the Salesforce dashboard, you can plan your virtual event as well as see how certain strategies are doing in real-time. Compile reports and view trends with ease! Plus, with all your data in Salesforce, it makes it that much easier to turn an existing event into a virtual one.

The future of events will be hybrid events, a combination of both in-person and virtual events elements.

As event tools become more advanced, it’s clear what the future holds.

With Fonteva Events, you can successfully manage and create hybrid events, combining both in-person and virtual elements. Easily allow attendees to experience both elements or just one or the other. Fonteva even lets you create different revenue and registration requirements for live vs. virtual offerings, which increases accessibility to all your guests. Those with less money or those who can’t physically make it can still experience what you have to offer, providing you with an additional revenue stream!

It’s important now more than ever to have dedicated and flexible technology. You never know what can happen and having the ability to respond and react quickly to critical time-sensitive changes can make all the difference to your supporters, event attendees, and staff members. Easily manage both traditional and virtual events with Fonteva and be prepared for anything.


Learn about this Fonteva Success story and how ZERO TO THREE pivoted to virtual events quickly.

Fonteva Events has helped many organizations manage their data and utilize the powerful Salesforce platform. ZERO TO THREE is a great example.  As an organization dedicated to ensuring babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, ZERO TO THREE works to support parents, professionals, and policymakers with valuable resources and aid.

ZERO TO THREE has successfully leveraged Fonteva Events to create virtual offerings for their community. Thanks to Fonteva Events’ accelerator, ZERO TO THREE was able to integrate quickly with GoToWebinar.

“Having a partnership with Salesforce and leveraging the AppExchange ecosystem for solutions like Fonteva ensures that we are utilizing tools within the Salesforce ecosystem and reducing integration issues,” Edima, CTO of ZERO TO THREE says in this blog post written by Salesforce. With a solution native to Salesforce, Edima knew that she could create a holistic strategy that addressed any technology gaps across the organization, even during a global pandemic.

Even if clients have to pivot a live event to a virtual platform, Fonteva can automatically sign up attendees for the virtual alternative using the existing registration data in Salesforce. Thanks to this seamless and easy process, ZERO TO THREE is able to use a single event registration system for all their events, whether in-person or virtual.


Conclusion

In the end, it’s clear that the event industry has been moving to virtual offerings for quite some time. However, because of COVID-19, organizations have to make that switch quickly and more directly. If you’re curious and want more information on how Fonteva can help your event planning, check out these additional resources:

  • Salesforce Event Management: The Essential Guide. Fonteva’s connection to Salesforce is one if it’s strongest features. Learn how to take advantage of Salesforce event management with this top guide.
  • Member Engagement Strategies: A Guide for Associations. Engaging your members during a global pandemic can be difficult, especially if everyone is encouraged to stay home. Check out this article to figure out some top member engagement strategies that you can implement while still practicing safe social distancing.
  • 40+ Virtual Fundraising Ideas. If your virtual event is to gain fundraising support and revenue, make sure you have a good idea. This article can help you determine the best virtual fundraising event for you.

Contact Fonteva to learn how we can help start your virtual events journey.

Learn more about event compliance with Fonteva!

5 Compliance Rules You Must Know Before Your Next Fundraising Event

Fundraising events can be a great way for you to engage, educate, and inspire your members and ultimately generate revenue for your association. Understanding compliance requirements will ensure that your event brings the success you seek, rather than an unpleasant surprise. Here are 6 rules to follow before your next fundraising event:  

1. Register to fundraise where required 

Communication is key to any successful event and determines where you must register to fundraise. Before you begin emailing, posting, and tweeting about your event, make sure you understand the basics of fundraising licensing. States define fundraising solicitation as asking for donations, regardless of the means. Solicitation takes place wherever the fundraising message is received, regardless of whether a donation is given in response to that solicitation. Those event emails, tweets, and posts could mean that your association is fundraising in all 50 states. If so, you may need to register to fundraise in many of them.

State law governs fundraising registration, reporting, exemption, and renewal. Currently, 41 states require nonprofits to register before they solicit donations from their residents. Annual renewals of those registrations, as well as regular reporting, is also typically required. 25 states mandate that nonprofits include specific disclosure language in all fundraising solicitations. As part of your event planning and budgeting process, determine where you must register. This clickable map of the requirements of each state includes specific details and instructions.

2. Confirm fundraising professionals are registered where required

Bringing in a fundraising professional to help with your event can be a great strategy, but requires specific registrations and reports in many states. While each state has its own definitions, a fundraising professional is generally an independent person or firm (rather than an employee or volunteer) who is paid to assist you with its fundraising. Fundraising professionals include both fundraising counsel and professional solicitors. In most states, both types of fundraising professionals are required to register, renew annually, and report regularly. If you have hired a fundraising professional to assist with events or campaigns in multiple states, they may need to register and report in multiple states. 

Although registration and reporting are the responsibility of the fundraising professional, it’s wise to make sure that all of the people you hire are compliant. Hiring a professional fundraiser may bring extra state scrutiny to your association.  You may be required to submit contracts to the state, as well as provide details about the relationship between your association and the fundraising professional. You can learn more about the requirements for each type of professional fundraisers and the organizations that work with them in this professional fundraiser guide.

3. Meet state fundraising disclosure requirements

In addition to fundraising registration requirements, 26 jurisdictions require nonprofits to include some form of disclosure statement when communicating with donors. This may include items such as:

  • The full legal name of your nonprofit
  • Address and contact information
  • The charitable purpose for which funds are being solicited
  • Your fundraising registration number
  • Directions for contacting state authorities to obtain copies of your financial or registration information

Typically, disclosures must be included on any written solicitations, as well as donor receipts, reminders, and confirmations. These requirements may also apply to online solicitations such as social media posts and web pages. In-person, email, and telephone solicitations also require disclosures in some states, and there may be a different disclosure requirement for each type of solicitation. 

Remember that solicitation occurs where the message is received, not where it originates. This means that you may be required to include disclosures from multiple states in your fundraising appeals and donor communications. With such varied requirements, be sure that each fundraising activity you engage in meets the guidelines of all appropriate states. 

4. Obtain all needed state and local gaming licenses 

Bingo, auctions, raffles, casino nights, and other types of gaming can be a fun way to raise funds and build a sense of community at your event. If you are planning to engage in these activities, you need to investigate before signing with your event venue. Be sure to first check with the municipality where your desired venue is located to confirm that the charitable gaming of interest is allowed there.

If so, determine if you must also obtain a specific state gaming license, as well as a local gaming permit. Nonprofits that use games for fundraising purposes are typically required to apply for a license or permit from the state. Most states allow nonprofits to conduct a variety of gaming events in conjunction with an event as long as the organization holds the proper license. Depending on the activities you are planning, you may need to obtain more than one license. Be sure to comply with state restrictions on who is permitted to conduct and attend gaming activities. Finally, be sure to file all required post-event reports with licensing authorities. Consult a charitable gaming compliance guide to ensure that your event gaming meets all legal requirements.

5. Plan ahead to ensure success and compliance!

The time required to register in a given state can vary from a few days to a few months. Be sure to account for the state’s processing time when calculating your event compliance timeline. Carefully track deadlines for each state’s registration applications and all required reports. Include reminders to follow up on each submitted application. Then complete and submit all registration applications far enough in advance to confirm that you will be in total compliance before the big day! 

Make sure that your event is memorable for all the right reasons. Compliance minimizes risk, protects the reputation of your association, and sets your event up for success. With careful attention to detail, comprehensive event software, and detailed compliance guides, you can be confident that you meet all state regulatory requirements triggered by your event. To make sure that your association understands and complies with all registration obligations, consider hiring a specialist who is knowledgeable about nonprofit fundraising compliance to manage these details for you. That way, you’ll have more time to focus on your mission and members.

 


Harbor Compliance does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice. Use of our services does not create an attorney-client relationship. Harbor Compliance is not acting as your attorney and does not review the information you provide to us for legal accuracy or sufficiency.

Sharon Cody, J.D. is the Nonprofit Partnership Manager at Harbor Compliance, a leading provider of compliance solutions. Sharon is passionate about educating nonprofits on the role of compliance as both a best practice and an industry differentiator. Her more than 30 years of experience as an attorney, charitable fundraiser, foundation executive, and nonprofit board member give her unique insight on the use of nonprofit compliance as a strategic tool to enhance an organization’s reputation and increase its revenue. Sharon can be reached at scody@harborcompliance.com or 1-717-431-9162.

 

 

Beyond CEUs: 5 Reasons Association Members Attend Events

Associations can glean a ton of value from events. Therefore, it’s no surprise that ticket prices for the heaviest-hitting conferences and events are in the hundreds to thousands of dollars range. After all, how can you put a price on the future of business and leadership? 

Practically speaking, people don’t solely attend events for the perfunctory continuing education (CE) certificate that proves you earned the credit. 

Your association’s members are probably attending events in hopes of experiencing these five things: 

  1. Grow your network.
  2. Discover new solutions.
  3. Get actionable insights.
  4. Explore the latest best practices.
  5. Be inspired.

Although collecting CEUs is important, especially in dynamic industries with ever-changing rules and regulations, it’s hardly the only reason that associations attend events. Registration, travel, and lodging for an event can quickly become expensive. Additionally, attending events is more than just a professional development investment. There are five key ways that associations can gain a wealth of value by attending events, which you can read about in more detail below.

1. Grow your network: engage with prospective members and partners. 

According to the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), one of the top three reasons people decide to attend an event is for networking purposes. 

Large conferences, especially those that cater to a vast spectrum of industries, present incredibly unique opportunities for associations to connect with prospective members and partners. It’s rare that the exact same body of delegates will attend the same event year after year, so the element of diversity alone is a compelling reason to attend events. 

By connecting with business leaders from other cultures, models, and stages of maturity, you stand a good chance of meeting someone new. Conversation can be a priceless asset when it comes to finding new ways to engage membership, generate non-dues revenue, and ultimately connect with others who face similar challenges.

2. Discover new solutions to ongoing challenges that impact your business, its cohorts, and your membership.

Keeping members engaged is critical for overall success and can yield high-impact results, not the least of which is revenue generation. 

How do the most successful organizations keep their members engaged? What practical solutions are bringing the most value to the process of membership engagement? What does success look like today, and how can you seize opportunities for your own members? 

Finding and discussing answers to these questions (plus countless others) is a key motivating factor for attending events. CEUs may offer an incentive to attend specific sessions for your industry, but you are likely to spend more time at the tradeshow booths if there is a product or service that’s built with your association and its members in mind. This is something that can be clearly displayed using an event app.

3. Get actionable insights you can apply right away.

The business landscape is changing dramatically and moving faster than ever before. How can associations keep up?

 To say that technology is requisite for success doesn’t quite hit the mark – these tools are paramount in today’s world. Staying ahead of trends in membership engagement, non-dues revenue generation, and modern marketing means that associations are increasingly reliant on software and other tools that keep their proverbial trains on-track.

4. Explore the latest best practices to avoid reinventing the wheel.

Like most successful business leaders and association executives, you consider attending an event to find best practices to help your organization(s) stay ahead of the curve. You want to know about the latest technology and tools that can help you meet members and community demands faster and better at every turn.  

Attending an event is a surefire way to see how others have succeeded and failed, offering a chance to learn from those scenarios. Rather than reinventing the wheel for your cohorts, you can make a few adjustments to another association’s strategy and tactics. In a matter of weeks, rather than months or years, you can offer a host of innovative and beneficial activities that will keep your members engaged and your revenue stream(s) running.

5. Be inspired.

A fresh perspective, insightful case study, or emotional arc in a well-delivered keynote can help you see your business differently. Sometimes, all it takes to be inspired is knowing you’re not alone. There is nothing better than leaving an event with reignited energy and exciting ideas that can make a big impact on your business when you return. 


Don’t get us wrong: there is demonstrable value in CE, especially if your role requires regularly brushing up on changing regulations, best practices, and trends. However, association members can get much more out of attending events than obtaining CEUs. 

Whether you’re looking to build new relationships, optimize workflows, boost engagement, or simply reconnect with the initial spark of your industry, events are mission-critical. Where else will you find such a volume of knowledge and people in one place at the same time? For more from Pathable on events, technology, and event apps for associations, click here.


Author photo.

Equal parts voracious reader and passionate writer, Maggie is an expert in communication principles and practices that help drive positive impact for business. As Marketing Manager for Pathable, Inc., she’s customer-obsessed, results-oriented, and dedicated to celebrating the value of highly customizable event app and web solutions for event planners across industries around the globe. 

Looking for an event management solution? Check out these Blackthorn events alternatives!

Blackthorn Events Alternatives: 10 Options To Consider

If you’re in charge of planning events for your organization, you understand the common problems and mishaps you’re bound to run into. That’s why the right tools are essential to have on your side.

However, your tools can be more detrimental if they’re not properly integrated. If your staff spends time manually transferring data between events processes, you risk data silos and important information falling through the cracks.

Event management software (EMS) is any solution that helps organizations tackle event management in a more intuitive way. By investing in a comprehensive solution that can handle each step of the event planning process, this ensures that you don’t waste time finding and configuring other tools.

Additionally, your EMS should easily integrate with your database or constituent relationship management system (CRM). This ensures that all event data is centralized in your organization’s CRM, eliminating the chance of inaccurate or duplicate information.

To really optimize your system processes, aim for an EMS that is 100% native to your CRM. This means that you don’t have to go through a complicated and timely integration process. Many organizations use Salesforce and then build onto that CRM as needed with Salesforce apps. One example of a commonly known Salesforce-native EMS is Blackthorn.io.

Check out why Fonteva events is a top Blackthorn events alternative!

What is Blackthorn.io?

Blackthorn.io is an event management software solution for many industries. Originally known for its payment processing software, Blackthorn.io has recently branched out into event planning as well. As a Salesforce native app, this solution has this advantage and can keep your important data centralized and accessible.

With event registration capabilities, Blackthorn events helps facilitate the registration process for your attendees. With its customizable forms and automated email communications, it’s a platform built for your basic event management needs. Additionally, its integrated payment processor ensures that all financial data is safe.

Blackthorn events is a possible event management solution.

Why should you be considering alternatives?

If your organization depends on Salesforce, it makes sense for you to consider Blackthorn.io as the top contender for an EMS. However, you have to remember that Blackthorn.io is new to the event planning world, and doesn’t quite have all the functionality a growing organization might need.

Don’t fret if researching the best solution sounds like a lot of work. In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of viable Blackthorn events alternatives for you to review.

Our favorite Blackthorn Events alternatives

  1. Fonteva Events
  2. Cvent
  3. Eventbrite
  4. ePly
  5. Eventzilla
  6. Whova
  7. Eventsquid
  8. Regpack
  9. Splash
  10. Doubleknot

Read from the top or click around! Think about your organization’s highest priorities and check out these Blackthorn events competitors.

Check out our list of Blackthorn event alternatives and see which EMS fits your organization best!

Our Favorite Blackthorn Events Alternatives

100% native, Fonteva events is a top Blackthorn events alternative.

Fonteva Events 

Fonteva Events is a comprehensive, all-in-one event management solution. 100% native to Salesforce, Fonteva Events is intuitive and easy to use, providing a streamlined solution for event registration, event marketing, post-event reports, and more. 

Built for the Salesforce platform, your staff doesn’t have to worry about a long and complicated integration process. Additionally, with your EMS and CRM working together, you can easily plan and host events in one system. Your staff has access to real-time event data wherever and whenever they are, making sure that everyone stays on the same page. 

Fonteva events is a top Blackthorn events alternative and can show you the entire event lifecycle.

What makes it stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Fonteva Events helps your organization manage the entire event lifecycle with these intuitive features:

  • Customizable registration forms. Make sure that your registration form asks questions that are pertinent to your event. You can even make certain fields optional, which shortens the sign-up time. Provide multiple ticket options for different engagement levels, as well as discounts or personalized pricing. Each registrant’s personal details and payment preferences will be automatically saved to your CRM, meaning no manual entry for your staff!
  • Event microsites. With Fonteva Events, you can create a branded and aesthetically pleasing microsite that works in conjunction with your main website. Use the event microsite to highlight event activities, share relevant details, announce event changes, and sell tickets and merchandise.
  • Comprehensive management tools. Easily keep track of setup, speakers, vendors, sponsors, and even your venue all in Fonteva Events. 
  • Report compilation. With your CRM and EMS working together, you can easily compile effective reports. Fonteva Events also allows you to build your own reports, ensuring that you track the data metrics that are most important to you. 
  • Fair pricing. You won’t break the budget with Fonteva Events. With its fair and predictable pricing, your team can fully focus on planning your event without stressing about costs.
Check out Fonteva Events. a top Blackthorn events alternative that is 100% native to Salesforce and meets all your event management needs.
Check out Fonteva Events for a top Blackthorn events alternative.
Cvent is a Blackthorn events alternative known for targeting niche industries.

Cvent

Cvent is an event management software solution that has a wide range of features. While it targets niche industries like education, hospitality, and hotels, the platform is flexible enough to be used with any type of event. However, if you are in one of these industries, Cvent will probably have more use to you than otherwise.

Though it requires an integration process, Cvent can work with Salesforce to centralize your data. However, it might not work as well as a solution that is fully native to your CRM. 

What makes Cvent stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Cvent can simplify life for your staff with these top features:

  • Flexible registration page templates. Cvent offers a library of registration page templates. This way, your staff has some guidance as they consider what fields to put in their forms. From there, you can customize it to your brand and event.
  • Cvent Payment Services. Never worry about payment and keeping finances safe with Cvent’s own integrated payment processor. You can easily collect fees as well as automate refunds!
Check out this Blackthorn events alternative, Cvent.
Learn more about this Blackthorn events alternative, Eventbrite.

Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a popular online event management solution that all organizations can take advantage of. Easily create a branded event page and post it on their online platform. Customers can either scroll through Eventbrite’s website and see if any catch their eye, or they’ll be redirected to a specific event listing from another source. From there, registrants can sign up as well as purchase tickets.

Eventbrite does have a Salesforce integration, but it entails a long process and might not be worth it for those wanting to get their event listing out there fast. However, if you continuously use Eventbrite, integration is likely necessary.

What makes Eventbrite stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Eventbrite is a top Blackthorn events competitor for those who plan something larger than the average event, like a music festival or multi-day conference. With these features, you can plan your large-scale event with ease:

  • Partnerships with top platforms. Eventbrite partners with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify to help you target your audience. For example, if you’re planning a concert, Eventbrite works with Spotify to promote your event to those who listen to the artist, listen to similar artists, or are in the event’s area.
  • Real-time sales tracking and management. Eventbrite can give you updated reports whenever you want. This way, from the Eventbrite mobile app or online website, your staff can access pertinent data and keep on track of their large-scale event.
Check out Eventbrite's homepage, a top  Blackthorn events alternative.
ePly is a top Blackthorn events alternative.

ePly

For organizations of any size, ePly is a viable event management software to help with your online registration. With ePly, you can spend less time focusing on your registration form and more on your actual event. ePly will automate almost all tasks related to registration, helping your staff track payments and engagements easily.

With an integration, ePly can work with your Salesforce CRM. You’ll set your team up for success with your event registration data centralized. However, this may not work as well as a 100% native solution.

What makes ePly stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

With a branded conference and event app, ePly stands out as a Blackthorn events competitor. A mobile app that both iPhone and Android users can download, ePly can:

  • Personalize the attendee experience. From the app, people can access a unique personal itinerary. Not everyone is going to want to experience your event in the same way.
  • Provide an event directory. From the mobile app, attendees can utilize a directory to search and find attendees, sponsors, speakers, etc.
  • Streamline social media posts. Oftentimes attendees will document their time at your event through social media. From the mobile app, consolidate all of the social media posts into a single stream and increase attendee engagement.
Check out ePly's features as a Blackthorn events alternative.
Learn more about Eventzilla, a top Blackthorn events alternatives.

Eventzilla

Eventzilla is an all-in-one event management software for your registration and marketing needs. With a simple and easy-to-use interface, this is the solution for organizations with a less experienced event planning team. 

Eventzilla has integration capabilities with Salesforce, as well as other products and event tools. While this ensures your data is centralized, finding software that is entirely built for your CRM is still your best bet. 

What makes Eventzilla stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

From conferences to fundraisers to social events, Eventzilla is a great solution for any organization’s event, especially for those who don’t have as much experience. Eventzilla’s features can help you:

  • Create beautiful event websites. Your staff can create a branded event website in just a couple of minutes with Eventzilla. All the pages are also mobile-friendly, ensuring that anyone can access the site, no matter where they are.
  • Automate waitlists. Having so many registrants that you need a waitlist should be a great thing for your event. However, it can also add stress and confusion for your staff who has to manually track attendees and move them if your event changes size. With Eventzilla, that whole process is automated.
Check out Eventzilla as a top Blackthorn events alternative.
Learn more about this Blackthorn events alternative, Whova.

Whova

If you’re looking to increase attendee engagement as well as facilitate networking, Whova is a capable event management solution to look into. Whova targets organizations that constantly find themselves in a time crunch, offering fast solutions to common problems. 

Whova does have an integration with Salesforce, but if you’re truly running short on time, then the multi-step process might not be best for you. However, you can easily export all event data reports with one click!

What makes Whova stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Whova is a top Blackthorn.io alternative due to its award-winning event app. Attendees can download your event app to access:

  • Up-to-date event information. Make sure everyone is on the same page by posting event updates on the mobile app! This way, all attendees have the same information at the same time.
  • A personalized agenda. Often, your attendees will want to visit different vendors and activities during your event. Let them view a personalized agenda so they know when things are happening.
  • Live polls. Increase attendee engagement by pushing live polls on the mobile app. Everyone will get the notification at the same time and can choose to participate or not.
Check out Whova's homepage for a top Blackthorn events alternative.
Learn more about Eventsquid, a top Blackthorn events alternative.

Eventsquid

If you often find yourself missing pertinent data or getting inaccurate data, you’re likely not using a very good event registration tool. Eventsquid is an event management solution known for its powerful event registration features. 

However, Eventsquid cannot integrate with Salesforce, which can be a huge deterrent if your organization has a large data flow. If your organization doesn’t depend on Salesforce or has another system to store data, Eventsquid could possibly be very effective.

What makes Eventsquid stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

With its event registration automation, Eventsquid stands out as a Blackthorn.io alternative. The entire process for staff and registrants will be easier with these features:

  • Flexible registration form. With Eventsquid, you can customize any form you want, utilizing text boxes and drop-down menus. Additionally, you can offer single, group, guest, and minor registrations! 
  • Additional organization offerings. Offer more than just event tickets in your registration form. Eventsquid can offer your registrants additional goods, services, sessions, and even donations, all in your form.
Check out Eventsquid's website to learn more about this Blackthorn events alternative.
Learn more about Regpack as a Blackthorn events alternative.

Regpack

Though not a complete event management solution, Regpack provides a flexible and valuable event registration tool for all occasions. Though Regpack cannot integrate with Salesforce, it can still streamline the registration process and help increase attendance. However, if your organization deals with large amounts of data, it might be better to look for a native solution.

What makes Regpack stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Regpack’s registration software has many unique features that make it a top Blackthorn events competitor. To personalize the registration process, Regpack offers these experiences:

  • Seamless registration process. Regpack can embed itself right into your organization’s main website or event registration page, offering a smooth experience for users. Additionally, you can choose from Regpack’s templates as a guide and then further customize the registration form to fit your event.
  • Conditional logic software. What makes Regpack’s registration forms so unique are their conditional logic capabilities. This helps to individualize every attendee’s experience by adapting the form as it is being filled out. For example, answering a question in a specific way could cause the form to expand with additional questions or to get smaller with questions being removed. Additionally, Regpack’s conditional logic can send automated emails based on “triggers” from the form’s answers.
Check out Regpack and find out more about why it's a Blackthorn events alternative.
Learn if Splash is the Blackthorn alternative for you.

Splash

Splash is an event management solution that offers your organization robust marketing tools. While Splash is not the most comprehensive solution out there, if marketing is your event team’s weak point, it can be something to look into.

Additionally, Splash can integrate with Salesforce, keeping all of your event data accurate and in one place. Though it’s better to find a more complete solution that’s native to your CRM, Splash can still be useful in some situations.

What makes Splash stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Splash’s extensive marketing tools make it stand out as a Blackthorn.io alternative. With its features, you and your staff can easily:

  • Filter and segment communications. Using either Splash’s intuitive filters or customizing your own, you can easily identify your target audience by segmenting communications recipients. 
  • Automate and customize emails. Splash lets your team send out personalized emails with data from your registration form. You can automate event invitations, reminders, follow-ups, and more.
  • Access a customized dashboard with event data. From the Splash platform, your staff can visually see all of the important event metrics within a dashboard. Pick and choose the insights and trends which matter to you and better determine the success of your marketing strategy.
Check out Splash's website and find out if it's the Blackthorn events alternative for you.
Is Doubleknot the Blackthorn events alternative for you?

Doubleknot

Doubleknot is an extensive event management solution for anyone trying to plan an event or program. While any organization can take advantage of Doubleknot’s software, its features are especially useful for niche cultural establishments like zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, nature centers, botanical gardens, and children scout councils.

Though Doubleknot doesn’t integrate with Salesforce, it does have its own CRM solution. This means that you might have to do a lengthy data transfer before you really start to feel Doubleknot’s benefits.

What makes Doubleknot stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?

Since Doubleknot’s platform is specifically designed for the needs of cultural organizations, it is extremely effective for creating specialized events or programs. If this is something you’re interested in, Doubleknot is a top Blackthorn events alternative with these features:

  • Customize any event or program. Whether your organization is planning a one-off event or a year-long program, Doubleknot lets you customize it to really fit your unique branding. 
  • Extensive promotions. If your program or event is an annual occurrence, you can boost registration with early discounts, member discounts, and coupon codes. Since your constituents likely already know about the program, they’d jump at the chance for a discount!
  • Waitlist management. Don’t worry if you are at event capacity with Doubleknot. Doubleknot can set up a waitlist for any of your programs as well as automatically clear the waitlist as space in your program becomes available.
Check out Doubleknot's website and find out if its the Blackthorn events alternative for you.

Conclusions

As you can tell, Blackthorn.io is not the only event management solution out there. Even though it seems like an obvious solution as its native to Salesforce, it still doesn’t have all the management capabilities that other solutions may have.

100% native to Salesforce, Fonteva Events continues to be the best Blackthorn events alternative. With no CRM integration needed, your organization can immediately take advantage of its extensive features. Fonteva has been around for a decade and understands the full scope of event planning, which is why the platform accounts for the entire event life cycle.


Make sure your event planning team has all the resources and tools they need to succeed. If you want additional resources, check out these guides:

Find out why Fonteva Events, a Salesforce native app, is a top Blackthorn events alternative.


Looking for capable event management software for your next event? Check out these top Linvio Events alternatives.

Linvio Events Alternatives: 10 Other Software Options

What does it mean to be a native Salesforce app? Contact Fonteva, a top Linvio Events alternative, to learn more.

According to a recent event industry report, event management and event automation software is considered the most important technology for achieving successful outcomes at events. A majority of these organizations are specifically prioritizing event tools that easily integrate with their existing systems, such as their CRM or database.

Event management software (EMS) is a technological solution for associations, nonprofits, and other organizations to take advantage of when planning an upcoming event. This solution makes it easier to plan and launch events, and conveniently compiles critical data reports for your team to review. Aim for an EMS that can integrate with your organization’s CRM for best results. A 100% native EMS is even better. 

Most event management tools will focus on one aspect of event planning, but there are also software solutions out there that can help you with the entire event lifecycle—from registration to compiling effective reports afterward. You’ve likely heard of Linvio Events as a popular solution. However, there are plenty of other comprehensive alternatives that may be better suited for your organization.

What is Linvio Events?

Linvio Events is a commonly used event management software solution. 100% native to Salesforce, a popular CRM system, Linvio Events attracts those that don’t want to go through a costly integration. Integrating with your organization’s CRM is important, as it centralizes your data and helps produce effective reports for your team to review. With Linvio Events, you skip integration altogether, and your event data is already accessible in your CRM.

Focused on monetizing your events, Linvio Events is built to help planners measure their impact and recognize where they can make the most event dollars. While Linvio Events can configure online registration pages and process online payments securely, the software tends to concentrate on generating profit rather than prioritizing attendee satisfaction and ease of use.

Popular solutions like Linvio Events may seem like the only choice, but there are holistic alternatives out there which might be better suited to your organization’s needs and priorities.

Linvio Events is event management software 100% native to Salesforce, but check out these Linvio alternatives as well.

Even though Linvio Events is native to Salesforce, does that make it the only event management solution worth examining? Consider your organization’s needs and check out these Linvio competitors.

Fonteva Events is a top Linvio Events alternative that is also 100% native to Salesforce.

1. Linvio Alternative: Fonteva Events

Overview of this event software

Fonteva Events is a top event management software built 100% native to Salesforce. This solution streamlines the entire event lifecycle — from ticket sales to vendor management to post-event surveys.

As an all-in-one event management solution, Fonteva Events leverages powerful Salesforce insights to help you plan and host better events. With your EMS and CRM systems working together, you’ll gain access to real-time event details and attendee profiles. With your data consolidated in one convenient location, Fonteva Events provides comprehensive reports so your team can evaluate what went well and determine what can be improved. 

With no integration necessary, Fonteva Events offers a user-friendly and intuitive way to improve your event operations.

The best features of this option

Fonteva Events enhances your events from start to finish, streamlining internal processes with these features:

  • Event microsites. Create a visually appealing and branded event microsite to spread the word about your event, share important details, and sell tickets and merchandise.
  • Online registration form. Customize your online registration form to fit your organization and event’s specific needs. You can ask for pertinent attendee information or make certain questions optional. The registrant’s personal details and preferred payment option will be saved to your CRM, eliminating the need to reenter information.
  • Ticketing options. Offer multiple ticket levels based on how engaged your registrant wants to be. With Fonteva Events, you can also offer discounts or provide personalized pricing to your constituents.
  • Setup, speakers, vendors, sponsors, and venue management. You can’t always plan for a speaker cancellation or a suddenly unavailable venue. With the Fonteva Events platform, your staff members can easily monitor and address these critical components.
  • Fair and predictable pricing. Fonteva Events serves as a comprehensive yet affordable solution for your event management needs. With just one fee per year and a one-time implementation cost, your team can focus on running a successful event rather than worrying about your budget.
Fonteva Events, a Linvio alternative, has a great venue and vendor management system to help your organization oversee your event.

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

Fonteva Events is an event management software your organization can implement today. Check out Fonteva’s website to learn more.

Fonteva Events is the top Linvio Events alternative as it is 100% native to Salesforce and is a comprehensive event management solution.
Boomset is a Linvio Events alternative that your organization can use.

2. Linvio Events Alternative: Boomset

Overview of this event software

Boomset is a comprehensive event technology solution for on-site experiences, servicing events with over 2 million attendees annually. In only one platform, your event management team can oversee your event and produce insights based on registration and your check-in and check-out process.

While not a completely comprehensive solution, Boomset can integrate with other event management software, though not CRMs, to supplement certain management issues. 

The best features of this option

Investing in Boomset can change how your event is experienced with these features:

  • Instant check-in and on-site badge printing. With Boomset your team can check-in attendees through QR code scanning or even facial-recognition based on previously uploaded photos. You also have access to on-site badge printing, so you can give attendees physical passes as soon as they walk in.
  • Manage and track sessions with RFID/UHF/NFC. Using RFID chip-enabled badges or wristbands, you can automate attendance scanning as well as collect other secure event data points. For example, find out how many attendees saw a specific speaker by tracking the chips.

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

Boomset is perfect for elevating the event experience for attendees. If you want to make your team’s lives easier on the event day, check out Boomset’s website for more.

Boomset is an effective Linvio Events alternative for your event needs.
Eventbrite is a top Linvio Event alternative and can also integrate with Salesforce.

3. Linvio Events Alternative: Eventbrite

Overview of this event software

You’ve likely already heard of Eventbrite, a popular online event management solution. Through their online platform, your organization can create a branded event listing page with a built-in payment processor so registrants can purchase tickets easily.

Eventbrite can integrate with Salesforce, but it’s a multistep process, so this might not be the solution if your organization deals with a heavy dataflow. However, some website platforms also work with Eventbrite to embed the experience right into your own organization’s site. If your CMS is not eligible, you can also create a specific event page or build a custom branded website on Eventbrite. 

The best features of this option

Eventbrite can be easily used for any type of event, whether it is a professional conference, fundraising event, or a multi-day music festival. With Eventbrite, your organization can:

  • Create event listing pages. Eventbrite’s biggest selling point is the branded event pages and listings you can create to help facilitate event discovery as well as ticket purchasing.
  • Manage and track sales in real-time. Equip your team to make the best decisions with Eventbrite’s real-time reports. You have ready access to pertinent data, insights, and reports from any device, whether it’s through your Eventbrite mobile app or online platform.
  • Partnerships with Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify. Eventbrite partners with popular sites to help you find your targeted audience. If you’re posting a concert on Eventbrite, it can automatically work with Spotify to promote your event to fans where they already are.

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

Eventbrite can help your organization create beautiful listings as well as extend your marketing reach to the right people. Learn more from Eventbrite’s website.

Eventbrite is a popular Linvio alternative for any type of event.
Linvio alternative Cvent is a capable event management software you can look into.

4. Linvio Alternative: Cvent

Overview of this event software

Cvent is an event management software that can simplify the entire event planning process. From helping your organization find the right venue to providing an onsite event check-in process, Cvent can automate simple tasks for your team. 

With an integration process, Cvent also works with popular systems like Salesforce. This helps centralize your event data in one place, but may not work as well as solutions which were specifically built for your CRM system.

The best features of this option

Helping your organization plan the best event, Cvent offers these top features:

  • Online event registration. Cvent provides registration page templates to help your team get started. From there, you can customize it to your unique brand and event. Cvent also encourages you to empower your attendees, letting them modify, cancel, and get refunds on their registration if needed.
  • Branded event website. With Cvent, you can post a live event website immediately. Choose from a variety of templates or create your own custom design and showcase all relevant event details.
  • Secure payment processing. With Cvent, you also get Cvent Payment Services. Your organization can collect event fees, automate refunds, and view your payments easily. 

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

Cvent is a popular solution for many reasons, so feel free to learn more about them at Cvent’s website.

Cvent is a Linvio Events alternative that can help with event registration and more.
ePly is a Linvio alternative that can help with your event's registration.

5. Linvio Alternative: ePly

Overview of this event software

ePly is a user-friendly, scalable event management software for organizations of any size and without that much event planning experience. Its straightforward platform helps facilitate event registration in particular, so if you’re looking for a more focused fix instead of a comprehensive solution, ePly is a great choice.

ePly also keeps your event registration data centralized as it can integrate with Salesforce. While this is helpful in making sure your attendee’s data is accurate in real-time, it might not work as efficiently as solutions that are 100% native to your CRM.

The best features of this option

Your event team will save so much time with ePly’s:

  • Customizable form builder. Your event planning team can build mobile-friendly registration forms easily, making sure you get the necessary attendee information to have a successful event. 
  • Branded event app that attendees and staff can use. With a branded app synced to your ePly event, attendees can create a personal itinerary for a customized experience, display directories for attendees, sponsors, speakers, etc., and view event social media posts in a single stream to encourage attendee engagement. Staff can put all event details in the app as well as update attendees on last-minute changes as they happen.
  • One-on-one customer service. ePly prides itself on being available for all your event needs. Whether you seek one-on-one support or an extra eye to review and polish your forms, ePly can help.

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

ePly can help your organization bring up your registration numbers with its intuitive and easy to use platform. You can always visit ePly’s website to learn more.

A Linvio alternative, ePly can help your organization raise event registration and more.
Splash is a Linvio alternative that can help your organization with all your event marketing needs.

6. Linvio Alternative: Splash

Overview of this event software

Splash is an event management software that can provide your organization with robust event marketing technology. Though this won’t meet all your event needs, Splash keeps your event on-brand as the tool gathers attendee data to help your team form the right campaign and target the right people. 

Splash makes sure your event data is secure and in one place with its Salesforce integration. This ensures that your marketing campaign is based on accurate information. However, it might not be as comprehensive as a solution that is fully native to your CRM.

The best features of this option

Splash can elevate your event team’s marketing strategy with these top features:

  • Automate custom and personalized invitations. Deliver the right message with no additional work with Splash. Along with invitations, your team can automate completely custom and personalized event reminders, updates, follow-ups, and more.
  • Filter and sort to segment the target audience. Splash can quickly identify your target audience with intuitive filters as well as customized sorting to determine who’s invited and who your top prospects are.
  • Compiles event data to improve future marketing. Splash helps your team understand your event outcome with customized dashboards. This way, you can review what went well and what can be improved for future marketing strategies.

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

If you’re looking for a more marketing focused solution to help your event team, Splash can help. Check out Splash’s website to learn more.

Splash is a Linvio Events alternative that can help your organization with its event marketing.
Regpack is an Linvio Events alternative which gives your organization capable event registration features.

7. Linvio Events Alternative: Regpack

Overview of this event software

With Regpack, your organization can have capable event registration capabilities for any event, whether it is a conference, workshop, training, or retreat. Though not a complete event management solution, Regpack still offers a flexible registration tool that can increase event attendance and keep your internal operations simplified.

Regpack doesn’t have any software integrations but can be embedded straight into your organization’s existing website to provide a seamless registration experience.

The best features of this option

With Regpack’s event management software, you can elevate your registration process. Here are the top features:

  • Group and individual registration. Regpack allows groups to register within your form. For example, say your organization is hosting an industry conference. With Regpack, one attendee can register all of their coworkers as a group, instead of manually filling in the form separately each time.
  • Embed registration form on one’s own website. You can integrate Regpack’s registration form into your official website. Additionally, Regpack lets you customize the form to your unique brand as well as offers easily navigable templates.
  • Conditional logic capabilities. Regpack’s huge selling point is its conditional logic software which personalizes each registrant’s experience. For example, as the registrant fills out the fields, the rest of the form will adapt and change to fit personal preferences. 

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

Regpack can help your organization elevate its event registration process. Check out Regpack’s website to learn more.

Regpack is a Linvio alternative for your event registration needs.
A Linvio Events alternative, Snowball Fundraising is a great solution for nonprofit events.

8. Linvio Alternative: Snowball Fundraising

Overview of this event software

If you run a nonprofit, Snowball Fundraising offers event management software which can facilitate all of your future fundraising events. Raise donations with your Snowball donation form and empower your event team with its nonprofit-specific features. 

Snowball Fundraising integrates with Salesforce’s Nonprofit Starter Pack, a CRM solution specifically built for nonprofits. This ensures that your data is consistent throughout all fundraising tools!

The best features of this option

Empower your nonprofit’s next fundraising event with these Snowball features:

  • Event ticketing. Snowball gives your attendees flexibility by offering advanced ticket sales online as well as at your actual event. You can even sell tickets with Snowball’s text-to-give functionality! Additionally, Snowball will count ticket sales, a good way to supplement your attendance tracking. 
  • Fundraising thermometers. Often, nonprofit events will have an overarching fundraising goal that their event is promoting. Snowball helps your team build excitement in attendees and chart fundraising success with live event thermometers. This is a great visual display of your nonprofit’s fundraising progress.   

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

If you’re a nonprofit and looking for a solution specifically for your fundraising needs, check out Snowball Fundraising’s website to learn more.

Snowball fundraising is a Linvio alternative your nonprofit can take advantage of.
Doubleknot is a Linvio Alternative that specializes in niche cultural organizations.

9. Linvio Alternative: Doubleknot

Overview of this event software

Doubleknot is a comprehensive event management software that can support any event or program. However, this platform is specifically designed to meet the needs of niche cultural organizations like zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, nature centers, botanical gardens, and children scout councils. 

While any organization can still take advantage of Doubleknot’s event registration and management tools, Doubleknot would probably work best with one of those above organizations. Additionally, if you’re thinking of planning an ongoing program rather than a one-off event, Doubleknot’s event management software can help with that as well! 

Doubleknot comes with its own CRM system, so if you already have a trusty CRM your organization uses, transferring all your data to Doubleknot’s system would be an additional consideration.

The best features of this option

Doubleknot can provide an event management solution for your unique organization and equip your team with these capabilities:

  • Create a custom event/program. No matter the unique event your organization is planning, whether it is a youth event at a children’s museum or an educational recurring event for an aquarium, Doubleknot lets you customize the best event for your organization.
  • Build your own registration form. With Doubleknot’s custom forms, fields, and registrant types, your organization can choose which information to collect for any type of event. You can even provide waivers, agreements, and emergency contacts. This registration form data can also be used across the various events your organization offers to quicken the registration process for returning attendees.
  • Capacity and waitlist manager. Don’t worry about overbooking your events with Doubleknot’s software. Doubleknot helps you control event capacity by registrant type and number of registrants per registration. Doubleknot can start a waitlist for events that have too many registrants, as well as empty the waitlist as space becomes available. 

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

Doubleknot can help your unique organization engage community members with its event management software. To learn more, check out Doubleknot’s website.

Doubleknot is a Linvio alternative for your event registration needs.
Check out Eventzilla, a Linvio Events alternative.

10. Linvio Alternative: Eventzilla

Overview of this event software

Eventzilla is an all-in-one event management software that can handle both event registration and marketing. Eventzilla requires no design skills, enabling your organization’s event team to easily utilize the platform. Simplify your event registration process as well as promote your event with Eventzilla.

You can easily integrate and sync data from Eventzilla with Salesforce and other products your organization may use. Though this helps make sure your data is accurate, Eventzilla’s solution may not work as well as one that is native to your organization’s CRM.

The best features of this option

Though Eventzilla has a wide range of features, these are the ones which continue to stand out:

  • Mobile-friendly event registration experience. With Eventzilla, you allow registrants to signup for your event from any device they’re using. Often people will find your event while browsing their mobile device, so ensuring your registration is mobile-friendly can increase attendance!
  • Self-service options for attendees. Eventzilla empowers your attendees by allowing them to edit their registration themselves. Don’t waste your team’s time by making them process each name change or payment change. Let attendees modify, cancel, or get refunds on their registration.
  • Embed the registration widget anywhere. Have your attendees register without leaving your organization’s website, or in any portal in which they discover your event. Eventzilla lets you easily embed your registration widget on your blog or social media page, as well as your organization’s website.

Where can you learn more about this Linvio alternative?

If you want to learn more about this event management software, check out Eventzilla’s website for more.

Eventzilla, a Linvio Events alternative, is an all-in-one event management software.

Conclusions

Don’t make the mistake of thinking your organization should just fall default to Linvio Events. Even though it is a very commonly used event management software solution, it might not fit your exact needs. Carefully consider your organization and the type of events you tend to host and think about if any of these other options better line up with your mission. 

Additionally, if your organization already depends on a CRM system, make sure your event management software can integrate with it. 100% native to Salesforce, Fonteva Events can be the solution that fits your organization’s unique needs as well as keeps your data secure and centralized.


Equip your team with the best tools and find the best event management software for your organization. If you want to do some extra research, check out these helpful guides:

Find out why your event management app needs to be Salesforce native. Contact Fonteva, a Linvio alternative, to learn more.
Event management software, our top picks based on your needs.

Event Management Software: Our Top Reviews, Ranked!

Whether you’re an association or a nonprofit organization, planning and managing an event takes time and energy. From deciding what kind of an event to host to organizing ticket sales to generating post-event reports, is it possible to do it all?

Events are a great way for you to engage with your members and build those relationships. However, to best manage your events you should be investing in event management software. That’s where this guide comes in—to help you form a basic foundation. After reading this, you’ll be able to answer these 3 questions:

  1. What is an event management system?
  2. What is the best event management software?
  3. What are other great event management software options?

Investing in a whole other management system may seem daunting, but you won’t regret it. Read on to begin the journey to a successful line of inspiring events!

Let Fonteva help you pick the right event management software for you!

What is an event management system?

1. What is an event management system?

Let’s get right to the basics. Event management software is a set of solutions that helps organizations manage and plan events more efficiently. Not only does event management software assist in handling ticket sales and conjuring up post-event reports, but attendees also have a better time with easy mobile access to event details and a smooth registration process. 

For any organization, event management software will make planning events quicker and easier. There is a lot of great software out there that can provide solutions to any event problems you come across. You’ll never have to worry about if your payment processor is working or if your marketing strategy is effective if you have the right management software.

For the attendees, an event management system makes registering and experiencing an event a seamless process. The right software will provide easy-to-use forms or even come with a mobile app for event-goers to use and access the event schedule, contact information for questions, or ticket refund and add on options. 

There’s an abundance of different event management software out there depending on your organization’s specific needs, so read on to learn more and make the best choice!

What is the best event management software?

2. What is the best event management software?

Knowing which event management software to invest in is challenging. It takes research and thought, which is why we decided to do the work for you. While a lot of different event software helps with specific management issues, it’s best to look at a more holistic solution, like Fonteva Events.

Fonteva Event's event builder is intuitive and helps your organization manage and launch events easily.

Fonteva Events

Fonteva Events is the top event management software for any organization because it helps you through the whole event lifecycle.

From planning the event to marketing the event to generating reports so you know how to improve for next time, Fonteva Events can do it all for you. It also is 100% native to Salesforce, the most popular customer relationship management system. With your event management software and CRM system merged, there’s nothing you won’t be able to manage.

Features

Fonteva Events helps your organization manage events from the very beginning to the very end. Here are the features they offer:

  • Complete event process management – Fonteva Events helps you through every step along the way. With customizable registration forms, speaker/sponsor/vendor and venue management options, attendee management capabilities, and connections to 100+ payment processors, you’ll be confident in your event at all times.
  • Native to Salesforce – If your organization runs on Salesforce to manage your database, having Fonteva Events is great for easy data integration and management. You’ll be able to access real-time event details and all customer profiles. Because all your data is centralized, Fonteva Events will also generate comprehensive reports so you’ll know what your event did well and where you can improve for the future.
  • Fair and predictable pricing – Even though Fonteva Events provides so much for your organization, it won’t break your budget. With one fee per organization per year and a one-time implementation cost, you can spend your time running your event instead of worrying about how you’re going to pay for it.

You won’t regret using Fonteva Events to manage your organization’s next event. And the more events you host, the more data your software will have to smartly plan your next one! To start increasing event attendance and engage your members, our top pick is Fonteva Events.

Fonteva Events is the best event management software.

What are other great event management software options?

3. What are other great event management software options?

Fonteva Events isn’t the only event management software option out there. If you’re looking for something a little more focused and want to zero in on a particular issue, read on to learn about some other great alternatives.

Whova 

If your organization finds itself constantly on a time crunch, Whova might be the event management software for you. With an efficient agenda center to coordinate and manage your event’s schedule, you won’t waste time flipping between different platforms. And if you make one change, you can automatically sync the new agenda across different websites along with a Whova app.

Not only does Whova make the event managing process more time-efficient for you, but it also provides:

  • Fast check-in for attendees.
  • Live polling to garner responses from your event goers in real-time.
  • An engaging “social wall,” a large screen that will display a variety of different event updates or live tweets, sponsor logos, and photos taken by attendees.

To learn more, check out Whova’s website and software plan.

Whova the best event management software for limited time.

Double Dutch 

The people who attend your event are going to be the people that you want to cater to first. If you want event management software that puts their attendees first, Double Dutch is a great option. With options ranging from pre-event engagement to during the event communication to post-event attendee analytics, Double Dutch will help you learn more about and offer more to your attendees.

Double Dutch provides many features that help you strengthen your relationship and interactions with your event-goers. They provide:

  • Event promotion options – Double Dutch allows you to promote your event in a way that markets to each of your attendees. You also have customizable email options and marketing automation capabilities!
  • Communication and notification options during the event – Your attendees won’t ever be lost or not know what’s going on next. Double Dutch provides push notifications that can appear on all mobile phones and direct messages to individuals.
  • Post-event analytics – Double Dutch will auto-release post-event surveys and polls so that your attendees can give you feedback when the event is fresh in their minds. Using that data and reporting tools, Double Dutch lets you know how to improve for your next event.

As an organization that plans multiple events, you know how much rides on your attendees’ happiness. To learn more, check out Double Dutch’s website.

DoubleDutch is the best event management software for if you want to focus on your attendees.

Eventsquid

Do you have trouble making your event registration forms? Do you often find that you are missing data or getting inaccurate data? Then you should check out Eventsquid, an event management software known for its flexible and powerful event registration features.

Eventsquid helps automate your event registration and makes the process easier for both you as the organizer and the people trying to sign up with these features:

  • Customizable registration forms – Eventsquid can handle every type of registrant form from a text box to a drop-down menu with tailored prompts.
  • Multiple payment options, pricing choices, and registration offerings – People can register by paying online or by invoice and have the option to do single, group, guest, and minor registrations.
  • Additional organization offerings in the registration form – Eventsquid also lets you offer access, sessions, goods, services, or donations all on your form.

Putting together an event registration form can be difficult if you decide to do it manually. Save time by checking out Eventsquid’s website.

Eventsquid is the best event management software for event registration.

OneCause

If your organization finds itself hosting multiple charity and fundraising auctions, you should definitely look into OneCause as your event management system. While it comes with other event tools like peer-to-peer fundraising functionality and online fundraising pages, OneCause is known for how it revolutionized mobile bidding for auctions.

What does mobile bidding mean? Mobile bidding is a paperless bidding method used during auctions that allows guests to bid from their mobile devices. This helps your event receive more bids but also simplifies your event management and centralizes the data.

Along with mobile bidding, OneCause helps your charity events run smoothly by:

  • Setting up your event by managing item procurement, advertising your auction, selling tickets, and promoting sponsorships. 
  • Having an unparalleled event auction experience with competitive bidding, outbid notifications, donation appeals, and raffle ticket options.
  • Wrapping up your event nicely with instant check-out, automatic email receipts, and post-event reporting.

Mobile bidding will change how your organization runs charity events and auctions. To learn more, check out OneCause’s website.

OneCause is the best event management software for mobile bidding.

Dryfta

With Dryfta software it is easy to set up a beautiful front-facing website, establish a budget, track expenses and income, manage abstracts, easily manage sponsors and exhibitors, and set up an event schedule and program for your academic conference. This software does it all and in one spot!

Dryfta is comprehensive enough to easily run a large academic conference.

  • Sell tickets & collect registration fees online with custom registration workflow
  • Collect abstract submissions with simple & advanced workflows
  • Run attendees engagement platform with on-demand videos & live meetings

Dryfta is the one-stop-shop for everything you need to manage your academic event.

Dryfta is the best event management software for academia.


Eventbrite

If your organization is planning something larger than the average event, like a multi-day music festival or large weekend conference, Eventbrite will help you manage it. Eventbrite has an app specifically designed for event organizers to run, track, and promote their event all from their mobile phone.

With Eventbrite, your organization can launch big projects while still using a simple interface. Eventbrite allows you to:

  • Create an aesthetically pleasing event listing page – Eventbrite’s listing page has options to include their built-in payment processor, support, and analytic capabilities.
  • Elevate your brand – You can customize your event page to your unique brand. 
  • Plan and run large-scale events – Eventbrite can handle a lot of large event needs. They have easy-to-use mobile ticket scanning, at-door ticket selling, social media integration to host events on Facebook, and an app that organizers can use.

Large-scale events are always a challenge and can seem daunting. To learn more, check out Eventbrite’s website.

Eventbrite is the best event management software for large events.

Cvent

Already an established platform, Cvent is an event manager that is flexible to the needs of organizations by different industries and has an incredibly wide range of features. They have specific options for education, hospitality, and so on. If your organization is focusing on one of their categories, it might make sense to look into Cvent.

While Cvent’s interface can seem complicated at first, Cvent is still a great choice for event management software if merging with your CRM isn’t a big priority for you. With all the features Cvent offers, you’re sure to find a solution to the problem your organization is having. 

To learn more, check out Cvent’s website.

Cvent is the best event management software for industry specific needs.

Plan your events quicker than ever with event management software solutions. If you want to learn more, check out these helpful guides:

Let Fonteva help you start your investment into event management software!

How Exhibits Can Increase The Sales of Your Business

Being part of a trade show as an exhibitor can turn out to be one of the best decisions you ever made for your brand. There is a lot you can not only share but also learn that will, in turn, lead to an increase in business sales. Renting a tent and some decors for the exhibition cannot be compared to the return on investment you get if you play your cards right with the right strategy. Here’s how exhibitions can increase the sales of your business.

An Exhibition as an Advertising Strategy

Advertising is the most fundamental reason why brands decide to be part of an exhibition. It is a chance to advertise yourself as a company to a group of people that have an interest in what you do. Trade shows are planned for a specific industry. This means that the people who attend them have an interest in the industry, hence the audience you get has already been targeted for you.

Helps Create Brand Awareness

For you to attract clients to your brand, people have to know that you exist. At exhibitions, you will be able to introduce yourself to the public, helping them know about your brand and the services you offer. Your booth should be attractively designed with your company colors. Expocart.com can come in handy in getting the equipment you need for a great exhibition at very affordable prices. Increasing brand awareness will, in the long run, lead to an increase in sales. 

Education Marketing

In some cases, people might have already interacted with your brand in one way or another. However, they may not be fully aware of the best way to benefit from the services you offer. Educational marketing is a type of marketing where you improve your sales by teaching people how to use the products you provide or showing them why they need your services. 

During exhibitions, you have an easy one-on-one time with a prospect to educate them about your brand. Once they learn how to use your products, they might convert into regulars and also evangelize your brand to their friends.

Building Business Connections and Customer Engagements

Exhibitions give your potential clients and customers a chance to meet the people behind the brand. This is an excellent place to engage your customers and get feedback on the products and services you offer. Some may go to the extent of showing you how the brand has benefitted their lives, showing you which services you need to focus on and which ones to do away with. In such settings, you will also be able to build networks within industries that may help you enhance your products. 

A Chance to Learn the Industry’s Trends

During exhibitions, you too can take a walk around other booths to see what your competitors and companions are up to. You might get an idea in the process that will transform your brand, helping you increase your sales. 

You can learn more from being on the field than sitting in an office. As much as the internet has a lot of information, when you can personally interact with the market, you will observe the trends more clearly. Some things never become real until you see them physically.

Launching and Testing Products in Exhibitions

Exhibitions are the right places to launch a product to the market. This is because educational marketing, as seen above, is quite practical. There are a number of ways to test a product and doing so in exhibitions is one of them. With feedback, you have first-hand information about your customers’ views hence giving you room for improvement. This will, in turn, lead to better products and therefore better sales. It is not useful for any brand to be blind in their sectors.

As much as you might have done your market research before launching your product, each product is unique, and consumers whose feedback is considered feel known by the company, building a good brand and consumer relationship.

Conclusion

There is a lot you can gain from being part of an exhibition, and the above pointers are just a few. Some connections you create in shows turn out to be the one contact you needed to grow your business. Other times, you learn something about your brand that you would have otherwise overlooked, which would have caused you great losses. The advantages are tremendous, and if you have not considered exhibiting at a trade show, the above points should make you rethink that decision.

Author Bio

Emily Porter is the Content Outreach Manager at Expocart, the UK’s
largest provider of products for exhibitions and events. Expocart works to make exhibiting easier, more affordable, and hassle-free.